In an attempt to mollify the bishops, the administration offered to let insurance companies cover the cost of free contraception to employees of religious institutions which refused to allow their insurance premiums to go towards contraception.

Remember, we're talking about a compromise that affects institutions that primarily serve the community, like hospitals and universities, not primarily religious institutions like churches. Primarily religious institutions were already exempt.

The bishops have argued, unconvincingly, that requiring institutions to pay for birth control (or have birth control paid for their employees by insurers) violates religious freedom.

Philosopher John Holbo has an excellent post at Crooked Timber arguing that religious freedom does not give institutions the right to simply opt out of provisions of laws they don't like. Fundamentally, religious freedom is about respect for individual conscience. It doesn't give religious institutions the right to usurp the powers of the state.

Furthermore, Holbo argues, one of the goals of the First Amendment is to make sure that state power isn't used to compel religious observance. If the state allows religiously-affiliated employers to impose a de facto $650-a-year "sin tax" on employees--the out-of-pocket cost of a year's supply of birth control pills--that's compelling religious observance on the part of employees.

The bishops have also argued that contraception shouldn't be covered as preventive health care because pregnancy isn't a disease. Merrill Goozner has a good rebuttal to that argument in a post entitled, "Unintended Pregnancy: A Biomarker for Disease and Poverty." Goozner points out that pregnancy isn't a disease, but unintended pregnancy is strongly correlated with negative health and social outcomes for mothers and their children.

Lindsay Beyerstein is an award-winning investigative journalist and In These Times staff writer who writes the blog Duly Noted. Her stories have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, Slate, The Nation, Ms. Magazine, and other publications. Her photographs have been published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times' City Room. She also blogs at The Hillman Blog (http://www.hillmanfoundation.org/hillmanblog), a publication of the Sidney Hillman Foundation, a non-profit that honors journalism in the public interest.

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Ms. Beyerstein:
1. "The bishops have also argued that contraception shouldn't be covered as preventive health care because pregnancy isn't a disease." Nor is childbirth a disease, but the bishops aren't suggesting that we stop paying for that (though, come to think of it, Rick Santorum wants to deny insurance coverage for pre-natal care). And hey... why haven't we heard the bishops denouncing vasectomy coverage?
2. Thank you for bringing the John Holbo article to my attention.
3. And to return the favor, let me bring this to YOUR attention:
http://lisasmall.livejournal.com/63054.htmlPosted by Ankhorite on 2012-03-03 12:51:28

This article about "Contraception and Religious Freedom" is very common for me. i have the same point of view about this theme.
Back Pain Lower Right SidePosted by Back Pain Lower Right Side on 2012-02-17 12:23:33

This latest fiasco just underscores what "The Church" is about, has always been about, and will always be about - imposing their insane beliefs on others.
This is why all good citizens must fight constantly to marginalize, isolate and otherwise distance themselves from all those calling themselves Christians. Since their god is a fairy tale, Xtians are - by definition - dangerously deluded, and must never be allowed to gain any extra power in the socio-political arena.
Lest we lose this fight, we will all too soon be back to the savage barbarisms of the early Roman Church, and monstrous criminals of humanity such as Pope Innocent IV, whose lunatic word was law, and whose main hobby was the torture and slaughter of innocents (i.e. anyone who disagreed with him), all in the name of his imaginary god.
Religion is the cancer in the heart of Man - eradicate it or die!
HP
Posted by Hermies Purrbuckets on 2012-02-15 14:09:16

About this Blog

At Duly Noted, Lindsay Beyerstein (@Beyerstein) dives into the news of the day while analyzing politics, media and culture. But it's not all commentary—she'll also rake some muck.